Which brake pads to use?

Will probably take the SVX to be worked on (again... ) Really need new Front Brake pads. Can I just take it to any indep. brake shop? I know they're going to look at me like, "what is that thing doing in my shop?" when I pull up the SVX to get worked on. I have a few brake service coupons. Does the SVX use the same brake pads as what other car? Thanks!

[DavieGravy]

get carbon fiber pads, unless you want to hear SQEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK when you stop!!!

Dave

[Aredubjay]

Use the OE pads. I had no problem with brake squeal or dust with OE. The last time my pads were changed, the shop put Aftermarket pads on. I've had intermittent squealing and NASTY brake dust problems. It won't happen again.

OE is the only way to fly.

-Mike

Originally posted by DavieGravy
get carbon fiber pads, unless you want to hear SQEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK when you stop!!!

Dave

how good is stopping w/ the carbon fiber? and what do they run? I'm getting that really anoying sqeeeeeeeeek, and it's really starting to make me mad. I know it's just the iron in the pads letting me know that it's time to replace them, but i'm looking to up my stopping power

and it's really starting to make me mad.

What'll really make you mad is if you spend $300 bucks on a brake job and they still squeal! I'm using the OEM loads now and they still squeak, the non OEM stuff I used made noise even when I didn't apply the brakes. Already purchased new rotors for my next job.

I've developed better brakemanship than Mario Andretti. Light on the brakes at first and heavy right at the last moment to avoid most of the squeal. Careful use of the parking brake will have fast food drive up attendants think your car is cool, rather than a noisy POS.

Originally posted by deadeye95
Light on the brakes at first and heavy right at the last moment to avoid most of the squeal.

I know exactly what you mean! I've been doing the same thing w/ some luck. I asked my dealer about it and he said since they are semi metalic they will do them when they get wet...which is semi true, when they aren't wet they dont squeek as much. Hmm, how about the breaking system used on those hybrid cars? They use electrical resistance on motors to stop the car. and stoping actuall generates electricity to charge the system. I'd never drive one at this point in time, but they do have some good ideas.

[Beav]

Originally posted by EverclearAtMSU


I know exactly what you mean! I've been doing the same thing w/ some luck. I asked my dealer about it and he said since they are semi metalic they will do them when they get wet...which is semi true, when they aren't wet they dont squeek as much. Hmm, how about the breaking system used on those hybrid cars? They use electrical resistance on motors to stop the car. and stoping actuall generates electricity to charge the system. I'd never drive one at this point in time, but they do have some good ideas.

They still have brakes at the wheels, the resistance from the regenerative stopping is similar to dropping down a gear. That's a good thing, considering you're probably toting an extra thousand pounds in batteries...

[Trevor]

Beav, does the SVK have anti vibration springs/shims which take up play and provide damping between the pad and housing to assist in stopping squeel as with other cars I have owned? I used to take these out for racing to make pad changng easier. If so these could be left out by some of the slap happy mechanics as described in some posts, with the results mentioned above.

Trevor

[Beav]

Yes, they are supposed to use shims, but even when present they aren't the end all to brake squeal.

When I have a customer complaining about brake noise I explain that there's a lot of things I can do but nothing that I can guarantee. Too many variables, from pad quality to people that drive in downtown traffic to how some people drive. I used to live in Colorado and would have people that drove down from a visit to the mountains with their foot on the brake the entire way. On some cars we would have to smash the plastic wheel covers to bits as they were melted into the holes in the wheels. Funny, Randy and I were just talking about this at lunch yesterday.

I was going to leave this thread alone originally because I can't recommend any brand(s) in particular for the above reasons. I can say that the products I normally have my best luck with are the OEM pads, a line of pads from Wagner that have a silver backing with raised sections that replace the shims and the ceramic pads.

In Colorado it seemed that most every day I would have a noise complaint but where I am at in Kentucky nobody complains. I don't know whether it's because more people are acclimated to the fact that all pads will make noise from time to time (and I don't mean loud squealing on every stop is normal) or because the pads don't squeal here, either because of humidity or quality. I'm just happy I don't have to deal with it anymore, it really could eat into my paycheck...

[kuoh]

My SVX had OEM pads and the fronts squealed like crazy and felt like metal scraping whenever I stepped on the brakes, until a couple of weeks ago. I went to AutoZone, bought what ever brake pads they had along with some caliper grease. During the change, I found out the rubber dust boots for the front caliper pins were torn and had allowed the grease to leak out resulting in binding under braking. I didn't have new boots at the time, so I just regreased the pins and worked them loose. The braking performance is much improved and without the slightest bit of noise or odd brake pedal feel. The front pads did come with self adhesive shims with some sort of noise suppression coating on them.

I've installed OEM pads and shims before for a friend, and didn't find them to be any better than the ones I bought. The original shims on his and my SVX had bent edges, signs of a rushed install, which possibly contributed to the noises after the pads became worn. Personally, I'd say that the install has as much if not more to do with the performance of the brakes than the pads themselves. So unless it requires a special tool, jack, lift, or $100,000 diagnostic machine, I don't let any shop, dealer or otherwise, touch my SVX anymore.

KuoH

Originally posted by EverclearAtMSU
how good is stopping w/ the carbon fiber? and what do they run? I'm getting that really anoying sqeeeeeeeeek, and it's really starting to make me mad. I know it's just the iron in the pads letting me know that it's time to replace them, but i'm looking to up my stopping power

[kuoh]

Check the pads for uneven wear between the inside/outside and between wheels then check for properly installed shims.

As for the driving technique, I knew it all too well, prior to changing the old pads out.

KuoH

Originally posted by deadeye95
[B]What'll really make you mad is if you spend $300 bucks on a brake job and they still squeal! I'm using the OEM loads now and they still squeak, the non OEM stuff I used made noise even when I didn't apply the brakes. Already purchased new rotors for my next job.

I've developed better brakemanship than Mario Andretti. Light on the brakes at first and heavy right at the last moment to avoid most of the squeal. Careful use of the parking brake will have fast food drive up attendants think your car is cool, rather than a noisy POS.

[kuoh]

Same story I got and had to live with. At the very least, you can use brake quieting compounds to stop the noise.

KuoH

Originally posted by EverclearAtMSU
I know exactly what you mean! I've been doing the same thing w/ some luck. I asked my dealer about it and he said since they are semi metalic they will do them when they get wet...which is semi true, when they aren't wet they dont squeek as much. Hmm, how about the breaking system used on those hybrid cars? They use electrical resistance on motors to stop the car. and stoping actuall generates electricity to charge the system. I'd never drive one at this point in time, but they do have some good ideas.

[oab_au]

Originally posted by kuoh


I've installed OEM pads and shims before for a friend, and didn't find them to be any better than the ones I bought. The original shims on his and my SVX had bent edges, signs of a rushed install, which possibly contributed to the noises after the pads became worn. Personally, I'd say that the install has as much if not more to do with the performance of the brakes than the pads themselves. So unless it requires a special tool, jack, lift, or $100,000 diagnostic machine, I don't let any shop, dealer or otherwise, touch my SVX anymore.

KuoH

The shims are suppose to have bent edges, or a raised center. This to form a compressible medium between the pad and piston, to allow the air to leak out from between the pad and disk before the full clamping pressure is applied.
It's the trapped air escaping that produces the squeal.
This is why things like roughing the pads, cutting grooves across the pad, grooving the disk, will stop the noise for a while.
OEM pads with new shims are the best way to prevent squeal.

Harvey.

It's the trapped air escaping that produces the squeal.

I've always wondered about that. Thanks for the theory lesson.

Also noted your drilled rotor post several months ago.

You automotive design engineer types keep us in line before we go over the deep end with our mods....